There are quite a few examples of verbal irony in this book. Fahrenheit 451 is a wonderful book about just how out of control some people really are. The symbolism and ironies in the book are scary to think about.
At the very beginning of the book, we meet Guy Montag, and he is a fireman. What is such a verbal irony here, is that in the past fireman were always there to put out fires and keep us safe, now in this future, they are the ones starting the fires and destroying everything. They are not there to keep us safe anymore. They are there to make sure the people don't have any books and think for themselves.
The next verbal irony is after Montag starts a fire and he sees Clarise on the street and she asks him if he is happy. He thinks to himself, as he walks off, that of course he is happy. Why wouldn't he be happy?
"He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, lie the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out. Darkness. He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask."
This is where we see the change begin to happen. Montag is now ready to think for himself and find out what true happiness really is.
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